Hunt tells the Commons that NHS staff will now have "duty of candour"…

"Health Secretary
Jeremy Hunt yesterday promised a ‘radical overhaul’ of the NHS, putting a
far greater emphasis on old-fashioned care in the wake of the Mid
Staffordshire hospital scandal. He said one measure could be to
introduce a system of pay rises which would see staff rewarded if they
show ‘compassion, dignity and respect’ when treating patients." – Daily
Mail

…But his announcement doesn't halt the anti-Nicholson barrage. It's Full House as the Quad fires off its big guns

BANG! "Letting
the disgraced Nicholson stay encourages health staff to think there is
one rule for bosses and another for workers." – Sun Editorial

CRASH! "How
can Mr Hunt speak of a blacklist, when the Man With No Shame – who
oversaw the culture of neglect at Stafford – continues to enjoy his
support as Chief Executive of the NHS?" – Daily Mail

POW! "It
is good news that those managers who fail could be barred from such
work (including, one hopes, Sir David Nicholson, the NHS chief
executive, who bears his share of the blame for Mid Staffs)." – Daily
Telegraph Editorial

£286 green tax on energy bills: By 2020 green taxes will have risen by over 150 per cent

"The levy will more than double until a quarter of each power bill goes
on wind, solar, nuclear or home insulation schemes. Energy Secretary Ed
Davey insisted last night that households will be better off thanks to
the benefits of electricity-saving initiatives. But families will be
able to claw the money back only if they buy more efficient domestic
appliances and boilers." – Daily Mail

Greg Barker says that soaring gas prices show that the market is working – Daily Express

"The Home Secretary was scathing about the failures of the arms-length agency, which she condemned as "closed, defensive and secretive". Her surprise intervention was welcomed by MPs of all parties and will further fuel speculation over her ambitions to succeed David Cameron. But it also represents a high-risk move as she and her ministers will have to take responsibility for any failures or blunders in Britain's immigration system." – The Independent

"The average family with one
worker and two children loses 27. 9 per cent of their wages in tax,
compared with 26.2 per cent before the Coalition was elected, the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found. The
study comes amid claims that the Government is punishing stay-at-home
mothers with its policies, and a week after a former barrister
confronted Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, on the issue during a
live radio phone-in." – Daily Telegraph

"Senior ministers agreed at Tuesday’s weekly cabinet meeting to press ahead with the plans, under which all “sustainable development” must be waved through by any council that has not drawn up new local plans. A third of local authorities have still not had their plans approved, leaving them open to unwanted building. Eric Pickles, communities secretary, wants to go further and allow more liberalisation of the planning system as part of the coalition’s attempt to generate economic growth." – Financial Times (£)

Former Poet Laureate Andrew Motion claims that the countryside is being wrecked – The Guardian

"Osborne’s mortgage aid plans may backfire and spark a housing boom, say official watchdogs.The schemes to lend £130billion to help priced-out people buy a first home were the jewel in the Chancellor’s Budget. But quizzed by MPs, Treasury forecaster Steve Nickell said he believed the two plans would “drive up” house prices in the short term. Mr Nickell, of the Office for Budget Responsibility, added he believed they would rise “a bit, but not very much”." – The Sun

"Loughton hit back at the accusation that he had lied by claiming that he had originally been in favour of publishing the Edlington serious case review. He tweeted: "@toryeducation time 4 a senior DfE source to come out from cloak of anonymity and face scrutiny rather than rewriting history shamelessly?" Loughton then added in another tweet: "@toryeducation now we know there were only 5 people in room privy to me being blocked from publishing SCR so shall I name them?"" – The Guardian

Eurozone policymakers at loggerheads over Cyprus knock-on

"Policymakers in the single currency area were at loggerheads on Tuesday over the long-term implications of the Cyprus bailout and whether savers across Europe will be exposed to raids on their bank accounts in future rescues. The European commission and influential MEPs involved in drafting new laws on resolving bank failures confirmed that the proposed rules would include "bail-ins", which are favoured by Germany and would see investors and savers taking the hit instead of taxpayers." – The Guardian

"Scottish Party leader Ruth Davidson unveiled plans today for an expert group to examine the existing devolution settlement which will allow the party to set out a clear alternative to independence in next year’s referendum. The move has the blessing of the Prime Minister, Ms Davidson revealed in Edinburgh today. Former Scotland Office minister Lord Strathclyde will head up the new working group which will also include former Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie and ex-Holyrood Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson." – Scotsman

"The problem for the Tory leader is that the position she now espouses so passionately is diametrically opposed to that on which she stood for the leadership." – Herald Scotland Editorial

Clegg suffers further popularity slump among Liberal Democrat members

"After the Lib Dems’ victory in last month’s Eastleigh by-election, Clegg allies said he was certain to lead his party into and beyond the 2015 poll. But some grassroots activists want to install a new leader, such as Vince Cable, the Business Secretary, before the election. A survey of 650 party members by the Lib Dem Voice website found that 50 per cent are dissatisfied with Mr Clegg’s performance as party leader, a rise of nine points since December." – The Independent

Mike Hancock to be investigated by Portsmouth Council over claims he sent lewd text messages to single mother – Daily Mail

David Miliband leaves the Commons

"David Miliband will quit as an MP today in a huge blow to brother Ed. The former Foreign Secretary is standing down to take on a “dream job” heading up a charity in New York. His resignation will trigger a May by-election in South Shields, South Tyneside, where he has been MP since 2001. Mr Miliband has been on the backbenches since being beaten to the Labour crown by his younger brother in 2010 after a bitter battle that caused irreparable damage to their relationship." – The Sun

Without a starring role, David Miliband had to leave the stage – Rafael Behr, New Statesman

"He is fortunate for not having to straddle the gap between Conservative traditionalists and the political centre with every policy pronouncement. He is lucky, too, that his colourful personal life merely seems to amuse voters.But it is not just luck that has made him a contender. He is a driven, mainstream centre-right conservative who leavens his ambition with accomplished slapstick and makes people feel good about themselves. He has the ability to rewrite the rules of politics such that he can survive seemingly catastrophic interviews that would destroy less likeable rivals." – The Times (£)

Jacob Rees-Mogg: The press must resist this assault on liberty

"If
the choice were between a free and irresponsible press or a responsible
state-controlled one then freedom must prevail. The powerful and
politicians will never like this because it can threaten their
authority. This is where Hacked Off has been so clever, for it has
exploited the sad stories of a handful of people who came briefly into
the public eye as a cloak for the peccadilloes of celebrities. It will
not say who funds it, but some of the luminaries in favour of licensing
have disreputable pasts." – Daily Telegraph

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